#104: Defeating Dementia, Installment #10 [28:38m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (487)

Promising news and approaches for progressive brain disorders - Part 2 of a 4-part mini series.

Hear these reports:

Lipids in the brain: an important factor for Alzheimer’s disease? Researchers at VIB Switch Laboratory in Switzerland recently discovered that a certain brain fat promotes formation of Alzheimer’s peptide, the neurotoxic protofibril. Key concept: concentrations of various lipids in the brain strongly affect biological equilibriums between senile plaques of Alzheimer’s disease and toxic protofibrils.

Omega-3 supplements in mild to moderate Alzheimer’s disease: effects on neuropsychiatric symptoms. The omega-3 fats used in this study helped combat depression and agitation in Alzheimer’s patients who received the supplements.

A diet enriched with the omega-3 fatty acid docosahexaenoic acid reduces amyloid burden in an aged Alzheimer mouse model: Mouse study. From Journal of Neuroscience (2005). Researchers employed the omega-3 fatty acid DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) and demonstrated that DHA-enriched diets reduce total amyloid-beta by more than 70%. Overall plaque burden was reduced by 40%, compared to mice on a low-DHA or control diet.

NIH study on DHA in Slowing Progression of Alzheimer’s Disease: Four hundred (400) Alzheimer’s patients are being studied, based on evidence that omega-3 fatty acids appear to have anti-amyloid, anti-oxidant and neuroprotective properties. This study has huge implications and may provide hope for delaying onset of Alzheimer’s, and for fending off the impending Alzheimer’s crisis, saving billions of health care dollars.

Plight of natural product therapies in US medicine: we discuss some of the underlying politics and possibilities.

Alzheimer and trans fatty acids from hydrogenation of vegetable oils: There’s a possible link. We discuss some of the evidence and current efforts by many of the States to ban trans fats, and require warnings about their damaging health effects. University of Maryland researcher Dr. Mary Enig has done extensive research in this area.

Next week’s show: It will be our 11th installment of Defeating Dementia. During the 3rd of this 3-part mini series we’ll discuss Alzheimer’s-related genetics news and some research discoveries related to diagnosis and treatment of Alzheimer’s. We’ll also have more news and information on prevention of Alzheimer’s.